Brian Baughman, pastor of Hispanic ministries at the Osceola (Ind.) Grace Brethren Church, has taken seriously a challenge he heard at national conference. Here is his report, in English and in Spanish:
ENGLISH
Here we go folks! As a response to a challenge that we were given at national conference last week, Tammy and I have decided to start a “Spring of life” (as the leaders were calling it) at Cueramaro, a local Mexican Supermarket/taco shop. (It is funny that the their title for the outreach is a viable translation for the name of our ministry “fuente de vida.”) Basically the challenge was to find: a partner, a place and a plan to go and reach people where there is no gospel witness.
After the meeting Tammy says to me “we should take our girls every thursday night to Cueramaro to eat and do a little shopping and evangelize the people there.” I said “that sounds awesome.” So we are setting aside $25/wk to finance the meal, we have started a journal/contact book to help us track the spiritually sensitive people God brings us, and we are praying with our kids daily for the salvation of the people there.
I would invite you to pray with us and let’s just see what God does over the next year. our kids are so excited they can hardly wait. But I know we will come up against much spiritual conflict. Satan will not want to let go of these people so easy. But we are praying that we will find a great open door of effective witness there at the right time. Part of our strategy will be to ask people if there is something in their lives that we can pray for. This will help to identify those that are spiritually sensitive and immediately engage God into their lives. We will then start in-home Bible studies with anyone interested.
Thanks for your prayers for Tammy and me and our young partners Erika and Karina. We will keep you updated on how things go, you keep us covered in prayer. Brian MT. 6:33
ESPANOL
Vamanos gente! Como una respuesta al desafio dado a nosotros en la conferencia nacional q acabamos de asistir, Tamara (la bonita) y yo hemos decidido a comenzar un “fuentes de vida” en el supermaercado/taqueria se llama Cueramaro aqui cerca en nuestro peueblo. (es chistoso q el titiulo de este desafio “fuentes de vida” es mas o menos tambien el nombre de nuestro ministerio – aunque sea en ingles!) Basicamente la idea de comenzar un “fuentes de vida” es esto; busca un compadre amigo, un plan, y un lugar donde no hay testimonio de Cristo. Despues del culto cuando los lideres de la conferencia nos desafio con esto, Tamara me dice “Creo q debemos llevar las hijas cada jueves a comer y ir de compras en la tienda Cueramaro y evangelizar la gente alli.” Yo, por miparte le dije, “bueno, me parece perfecto, vamanos!” tenemos un plan para guardar dinero cada semana para financiar la comida afuera, epezamos un librito de contactos para seguir bien con la gente espiritualmente sensibles q el Senor nos trae, y estamos orando con las ninas por la salvacion de toda la gente en la tienda. Te invito a orar con nosotros, y a ver q hace Dios durante el proximo anio. Nuestras hijas estan tan emocionadas, casi no pueden esperar. Pero you se q vamos a ver conflicto espiritual. Satanas no va a querer dejar esta gente tan facilmente. Pero oramos q hallamos un gran puerta abierta de oportunidad para el evangelio enm el momento justo. Una porcion de nuestra estrategia sera de pedir la gente si haya algo en sus vidas pasando por lo cual podemos orar. Esto nos ayuda identificar los espiritualmente sensibles y inmediatamente influye a Dios en sus vidas y mentes. Gracias por sus oraciones por Tamara y yo y nuestros ayudantes jovenes en el evagelio – Erika y Karina. Les sigo informando del progreso. Brian MT6:33